Natural Talent
by thehalfbloodprincess
Summary: James was arrogant and annoying, Lily couldn't stand him. What changed? This story tells all. 7th year, LilyJames. How they got together.


Natural Talent

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"I'll wait for you in the common room!" Lily Evans called to her friend Taylor, as she headed down the stairs from the girls dormitory. Just as she sat herself down on one of the couches in the common room, James Potter and Sirius Black had come down the stairs from their dormitory. James sidled up next to Lily,

"Hey Evaaaaaans?" he said.

"What now Potter?" she asked icily.

"There's a Hogs-" he began, but she cut him off.

"A Hogsmeade trip next weekend? Yes, I'm perfectly aware of that seeing as I'm the one who pinned up the notice last night, as well as patrolling the corridors, therefore fulfilling my duty as Head Girl!"

"Bloody hell, I knew I forgot something. Sorry Evans. The Marauders and I were off having a little fun in the, er, moonlight." he said, grinning cheekily at Sirius.

"Yes, well while you were off gallivanting with your friends, you missed your duties as Head Boy. I don't know what the Headmaster was thinking! You can be so irresponsible sometimes!" as Lily paused to take a breath, James opened his mouth, but she predicted his next move. "And, no, I'm not going to Hogsmeade with you!" James closed his mouth sadly.

Taylor came bounding down the stairs, quickly scanned the room for her friend, pushed her way through the crowd of people around the notice board and made her way over. "Hey guys!" she said brightly. Sirius got up and wrapped his arm around her wait, greeting her with a kiss.

"You seem happy this morning." he said.

"No lessons today! It's Saturday!" she replied.

"Speaking of Saturday, there's a Hogsmeade trip next Saturday, care to join me there?" he asked.

"Of course!" she replied. They kissed again.

"Awe, you guys make such a cute couple." said Lily.

"Yeah," agreed James, "It makes me sick."

"Oh, you're just jealous Prongs." teased Sirius. James chose to ignore this.

"Let's go down to breakfast, I'm starving." he said getting up and starting towards the portrait hole. The rest rolled their eyes and followed.

They walked along in silences for a moment, but James broke it. "Come on Evans." He said, almost pleading.

"No way, Potter." She said.

"Awe, Evans, come on, they're going." he said, indicating Sirius and Taylor walking a few paces behind them, "We could make it a double date."

"No." she said stubbornly.

"Please?" he continued.

"No."

"You know you want to."

"No."

At this moment, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew appeared at their sides. "Want to what?" Remus asked no one in particular.

"James is trying to get Lily to go out with him again." Sirius replied.

"Ah." said Remus, "To no avail I presume?"

"Yup." answered Sirius.

"That means she said no, right?" Peter wanted to know.

"Yes, Wormtail, she said no." said Sirius, with the air of someone who was very weary of explaining things to his none to smart friend

Menwhile, James was still pestering Lily. "How could you resist me? The stunningly handsome, intelligent, James Potter. You know you've always loved me."

"You're delusional Potter."

They had approached a stairwell crowded with first years. James stopped antagonizing Lily for a moment, "What's the hold up?" he called out.

"Terry fell through the trick stair!" cried a distraught mousy looking little girl, "We have to help him!"

"First years…" James muttered, "Always in the way. Wingardium Leviosa!" he said, and with a flick of his wand, levitated a few first years out of the way, creating a path so they could pass.

"Don't do that!" said Lily scoldingly.

"Oh, lighten up." he replied, obviously seeing no wrong in what he had just done. "So how about that date?" he asked again.

"Ugh! You are so infuriatingly arrogant!" she shrieked, "You think you can get whoever you want, and do whatever you want just because you're the Head Boy, or the captain of the Quidditch team, or the most handsome boy in school, or-"

"Wait, Evans, did you just admit I was handsome?" he said smirking, "Does this mean you're accepting my offer to go out on a date?"

"For the thousandth time, no! How many times do I have to reject you for it to penetrate your big, thick head!" she said angrily. She turned on her heel and stormed back towards the common room. "Evans!" he called after her, "Hey! Evans! Lily!" he made to follow her, but Sirius stuck out an arm.

"Leave it, mate." he said knowingly. James looked like he was about to retort, but thought better of it, he went into the Great Hall and sat down. "We'd better go talk to them," said Taylor, looking concerned.

"Yeah, Moony and I will go try and talk some sense into him." Said Sirius consolingly.

"I'll get Lily to confide in me." Taylor replied, "See you later." She turned and followed the path Lily had taken.

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Taylor opened the door to the girls' dormitory to find Lily sitting on the edge of her four poster bed, staring out the window. "Are you ok Lil?" she inquired tentatively."

"_I'm_ fine!" she said as she flicked a few stray hairs from her face with rather more aggression than was necessary, "It's Potter that has the problem, not me! The stupid pompous prat!"

"Look, Lil," Taylor said as she plunked herself down beside her friend, "I know James is a bit conceited at times-" she began, but noting the look of incredulity on Lily's face, she changed tactics, "Ok, so he's annoying and full-of-himself, but he really, really likes you Lily."

"Yeah, just like he's really, really liked his twenty other girlfriends." Scoffed Lily.

"Actually eighteen at last count, but that's beside the point. He hasn't had one of those stupid flings in over a year! That's got to mean something to you Lil. And what you said to him just now, looked like it really hurt him."

"Yeah, right," Lily said, "Everything anyone says to that boy just bounces off his thick head."

"Everyone but _you_ Lily." explained Taylor, "I mean, how would you feel if the person you had liked for five years had said all that to you?"

"Five years? Are you serious?" she said, her eyes widened.

"According to Sirius." Said Taylor nodding.

"Yeah well what does Sirius know?" said Lily, trying to disprove the fact.

"He's James's best mate Lil, and it wasn't exactly kept secret that James liked you. Think back, it was second year that he first started bothering you, becoming more and more arrogant, he was flirting really." Realized Taylor with a giggle. Lily shrugged. "Well, don't you see? He was trying to get your attention!"

"Well, it got my attention alright, but not in the way he wanted, it just increased my dislike for him!" Lily said.

"Well, it worked for every other girl in the school, but I guess you're different." Said Taylor.

"If he hasn't realized I'm different by now, he never will. He still acts like an arrogant prick." She said angrily.

"Ok, he probably just acts like that out of habit now, and knowing James he probably likes the attention as well- good or bad." Said Taylor. Lily snorted.

"That's James alright." She said.

"Despite all his faults, you've got to admit he's very- what's the word I'm looking for- likeable, I suppose." Suggested Taylor.

"Of course he's likeable. Look at him, he's Head Boy, Captain of the Quidditch team, he acts stupid, but actually, intellectually, he's bloody brilliant- spells come naturally to him, he gets top marks in everything, not to mention the childish, but very complex pranks he and his friends manage to pull off. And I know it's what's on the inside that counts, but he's bloody good-looking, that's always a bonus. But because of all those wonderful things, he's bloody arrogant, and conceited, and big-headed, and cocky, and pompous, and full-of-himself, and urgh! He drives me crazy! I hate him, but I love him! Well, not quite love, like more like, but more than like, I'm rambling." Lily clasped a hand over her mouth, and looked up at Taylor who was staring at her incredulously, lost for words. "No! No! Wait! I did not just say that! No! I can't like him! No, _I_ can't like James! I just can't! Oh my gosh, Tay, I, I, I think I like, I, I like him. I like James. I like James! I, Lily Evans like James Potter! I like James!" she shouted, "Maybe I shouldn't say that quite so loudly. But, I like him, I really like him. Oh my gosh, now what? What do I do? Tay, help me!" she pleaded.

"Um, tell him." She said waiting on tenterhooks for the reply.

"Tell him! Are you mad? Well, actually, hey, that actually might be amusing. That would be hilarious! I'll just go up to him and be like, 'Hey, guess what? I like you!'. Can you imagine his face!" Lily laughed, Taylor was relieved, she was glad Lily was taking this so well, and was proud of her from not backing down from her proposition. "Mind you, if I tell him I like him he'd be surprised but he'd be happy, and he'd have proven that he can get any girl in the school to fall for him. It would just make him more arrogant! I'd just be another one of those giggling idiots, fawning over him. I'm not liking this 'tell him' idea anymore. No, I'm fine with him not knowing. I'll just keep it bottled up inside. I'll just repress the feeling, it's easy enough, I've been doing it all these years." Once again, Lily clasped a hand over her mouth, "Oh my gosh, James was right! I was wrong! I have always loved him. I'm the delusional one, not him. I've liked him all along! How could I have not realized this before?" she paused, apparently reliving the past few years of her life, "Oh my gosh, looking back, I was so in love with him. Everything points to liking him! All the bickering and insults and reprimanding, seem like flirting now. I've just been denying it this whole time. But I don't want to like him! Tay, how can you like someone you don't want to like! It doesn't make any sense! What is wrong with me? This going to sound really cliché, but my heart says yes, and my brain says no! Ugh, I feel like I'm in some stupid muggle chick flick. But what am I supposed to do? Do I listen to my bloody logical mind or my stupid emotional heart? Taylor! Help me!" she said, panting slightly from ranting for such a long period of time.

"Oh my gosh," Taylor said. She burst out laughing, and couldn't control herself.

"What is so funny?" demanded Lily.

"You are!" she managed between giggles, Lily stared at her, her eyes begging for an explanation. Taylor controlled herself. "It's just, you do sound like you're in a movie, or some romance novel. The kind of thing where I would go, 'No one talks like that or thinks like that, it's so unrealistic!' But apparently you think like that! I find it funny, I could make a book out of this."

"I'm glad you find this amusing, now help me! What do I do?" Lily asked desperately.

"I still think you should just tell him." aid Taylor simply.

"But that would make things awkward! He would know I like him and he would act differently and I would act differently. Everything I do, whether it be arguing with him or slapping him when he's being an idiot, to smiling at him if he's acting civil for once, I'd be doing those things not just because, but because I _like_ him. It would be like I was flirting with him or something." She said looking up at Taylor helplessly.

"Oh come on Lily," said Taylor exasperatedly, "The boy's been in love with you for ages! If, after you tell him, he doesn't ask you out right away, I'll give you all the gold in my vault at Gringott's."

"You promise?" said Lily sarcastically.

"Just go." Said Taylor encouragingly.

"Right now?" she asked nervously. Taylor nodded. "Ok…" said Lily, she took a deep breath and headed out the door. A moment later, she rushed back in. "Where is he again?" she asked.

"In the Great Hall, probably finishing his breakfast." Said Taylor calmly.

"Right. Sorry. I must have temporarily lost my mind. Anyways, do I look ok?" she asked.

"Beautiful as always." Taylor replied.

"Are you sure? I don't even need a little lip gloss, or a hair brush?" asked Lily, straining her neck over Taylor's shoulder to look in the mirror.

"You look fine, now stop stalling. Come on, we'll go down together, I'll sit and eat breakfast and you can ask James aside to talk to him. Ok?" Taylor asked.

"Alright, let's go." Said Lily.

The two girls headed down the many staircase from the common room to the Great Hall. Lily tried to compose herself and formulate what she was going to say to James in her head, but she had only gotten as far as 'Can I speak to you privately.' When they had reached the Great Hall. "Go on Lily," said Taylor confidently, "Work your magic."

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Taylor took a seat next to Sirius and the rest of the Marauders, who were arguing about a quidditch foul. "No, it's blagging not blatching. Blatching is when you purposefully collide with someone." Said Sirius.

"I'm telling you blatching, not blagging. I'm captain, I should know." Argued James.

"Er, James," said Lily timidly, "Can I speak to you, er, alone, for a moment?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, "We'll finish this later Padfoot. I know I'm right." He followed Lily in to the Entrance Hall.

Making sure no one was around to overhear, Lily began, "Er, I have something I want to tell you."

"Ok…" he said, looking at her expectantly.

"Well, it's just that-" but she was cut off by a group of giggling fourth year Ravenclaw girls smiling and waving at James. James ignored them and turned back to Lily.

"Sorry, do you want to go somewhere a bit more private?" he asked.

"Er, sure," she said tentatively, "Where? The common room?"

"Nah, there'll be people there too. I think this will do." He said reaching inside the vase on a nearby pedestal, creating a thin crack in the stone wall. James pried it open with his fingers and stepped inside, motioning for Lily to follow. She stepped inside. It was a small room, roughly twice the size of a broom cupboard.

"Wow," Said Lily, amazed, "How did you know this was here?"

He shrugged, "I have my sources." He said, but for once there was no hint of superiority in his voice, he to have deflated his head a bit since the last times he had spoken to him. She felt herself become even more attracted to him. "It's useful though. It's a good escape route, away from all those idiotic girls. I'm getting tired of it, all the attention. It was nice at first, actually it was bloody brilliant, every guy's dream. But now, I don't want girls to like me because of my looks or my quidditch skills or whatever. Why am I even telling you this? You don't care. Anyways, you wanted to tell me something?"

Lily's heart was pumping rapidly in her chest, he was so perfect, and she was so close to him.

"Lily?" he said, looking concerned for her, "You wanted to tell me something?"

"Wha?" she said snapping out of her daze, "Oh, yeah. Well, actually what I was saying before was, er, I, I, I like you." Lily looked at him for the impending 'Will you go out with me?'. She had heard it so many times before, but she had never looked forward to it more.

But, it never came. Instead he just said, "Ok, sure you do Evans." He shook his head and made to head of the secret room they were in. "You know, I almost believed you there." He began walking back towards the Great Hall. Lily followed him. "You haven't taken any acting classes have you Evans?"

"What? No." Lily said very confused.

James laughed, "Just natural talent then, I guess. You were very convincing."

"What are you talking about?" asked Lily desperately.

"Your little plan for revenge. It was perfect. I set you right up too." He said shaking his head. "Get me to believe you liked me, and then humiliate me. Very clever. It almost worked too."

"James, I'm serious, I really like you! I wasn't acting!" she said in earnest.

"Evans! You can stop now. You're a great actress, really, but now I know about your little plan. Would you just give it up!" he stormed into the Great Hall and was about to join his fellow Marauders, when Lily came up behind him, grabbed him by the arm, spun him around and pulled his face towards her and kissed.

Everyone in the Hall went silent. Lily Evans was kissing James Potter? Every student and teacher was staring at them, waiting to see what would happen next. "Do you really think I would waste my first kiss on you, if it was just for some stupid plan for revenge?" she whispered.

James for once was at a loss for words. He mouthed soundlessly for a few moments and then, "Really?" he said, a huge grin erupting on his face, his features lit up in joy, "You, you really do like me?" Lily nodded. "Are you sure you haven't taken some love potion, or, or Essence of Insanity or something?"

Lily grinned at him, "No, not that I'm aware of." James leaned in to kiss her again, there were catcalls and whistles from the entire student body, and even some of the teachers were smiling and clapping their approval. James and Lily finally stopped kissing, grinned sheepishly at each other, and sat down at the Griffindor table next to the Marauders and Taylor. Taylor smiled at them and said, "I knew you could do it Lil."

"Way to go mate." Said Remus.

"Yes, congratulations!" said Peter, nodding violently.

"Yeah, congrats, mate." Sirius said, clapping James on the back.

James turned back to Lily, "So what now?" he asked.

"Well, I was kind of expecting you to have asked me out by now." She said hinting strongly.

"Oh, no, uh-uh, never again. You told me not to ask you out anymore, remember?" he said.

"Yes, well, that was before…" said Lily. But James remained adamantly silent. "Fine then," she said, "James, would you like to go out with me? Maybe to Hogsmeade next weekend?"

"Of course Lily." He said smiling, "You know, this is much different than the way I pictured it. I never thought _you_ would be the one to ask _me _out, or to kiss _me_ first." Lily just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. James tilted his head to the side, thinking about something.

"What?" Lily said questioningly.

"About that kiss, " he said, "You said it was your first?"

"Yeah," said Lily, slightly embarrassed, "I know it's kind of pathetic- seventeen and never been kissed."

"No, no it's not that," he assured her, "It's just, how did you get so good? I mean, I've kissed many, er, experienced kissers before, but no one was as good as that!"

Lily let out a relieved giggle, and said, "It's just natural talent then I guess!"

The End.


End file.
